I knew I was having a baby girl.
Call it mothers intuition or a just a lucky guess but I was certain my son was going to have a little sister.
After the anatomical ultrasound, I began to feel a sense of angst at the realization I was having a daughter.
A daughter.
Apprehension, because I knew I had a much bigger responsibility on my shoulders. Not only was I going to have to lead by example, but I was entrusted with the challenge of teaching her from my own mistakes.
Panic, that I would mess up (of course, pregnancy hormones just made everything worse). But I reminded myself, that my daughter would never learn self love and confidence unless she saw it reflected in me.
Like many cultures, mine is a patriarchal one; where a woman, while revered as a goddess, giver of life, the female child is still considered a liability from before birth, a drain on a family’s finances for her education and dowry.
Her value and beauty determined by her shade of brown and thereby her marriage prospects. Ironically, women in India have also made great strides in every arena ranging from politics to sports.
However, this is the era where women have found their voice against violence, rape culture, inequality, racism and discrimination.
Imagine the power of girls raised by such courageous women.
My little girl will be part of a generation that will carry that baton and break the glass ceiling.
I want her to know the possibilities afforded to her in this country, that many little girls world over, will never have.
That she can dream and make it come true.
That Moana can be a real life heroine.
That her worth is not based on how many likes she gets on Instagram, the color of her skin or dress size, but in the One who created her.
That she is enough.
That she is beautiful in her uniqueness; to celebrate and love who she is.
That she can be kind, compassionate and still throw a throat punch.
That she can be brave, fearless; to stand and fight for what’s right.
That her voice matters.
So on this International Women’s Day, here’s to our girls, women of tomorrow: a force to be reckoned with.
” I want every girl to know, that her voice can change the world.”
Malala Yousafzai
#OMBEverydayHoliday
